Apple's share of smartphones sold in the U.S. doubled in the fourth quarter of 2011, pushing iPhone sales just past the myriad of devices that run Google's Android platform.

With just three different iPhone models available for sale, Apple reached a 44.9 percent share of U.S. smartphone sales last quarter, according to research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. That was good enough to just barely edge Google's Android platform, which is available on all major carriers and from a wide number of handset manufacturers.

Apple's 44.9 percent share was twice that of a year prior, according to Reuters. And Apple's gains were Android's losses, as the platform slipped from 50 percent of sales to 44.8 percent.

Kantar covers nine key markets across the globe, and Apple's iPhone grew at a faster rate than Android in all nine countries. Microsoft's Windows Phone platform failed to crack 2 percent of sales in all nine markets, even with the launch of the Nokia Lumia.

The latest mobile market share data comes just as Apple posted a record quarter in which it far exceeded analyst expectations for the iPhone. The company blew away its previous best and sold 37 million iPhones, a number that easily topped the estimated 32 million smartphones rival Samsung sold in the same period.

Apple's feat of edging out Android came with just three models available for sale: the new iPhone 4S, the 2010 iPhone 4, and 2009's iPhone 3GS. In addition, Apple's iPhone lineup is not available on T-Mobile, the fourth-largest carrier in the U.S., and the iPhone 3GS, which is free with a two-year contract, is only available on AT&amp;T.

In contrast, Android smartphones are available on all four major U.S. carriers from a number of manufacturers in a variety of sizes and styles, with different features like high-speed 4G LTE connectivity, large 4-plus-inch screens and physical keyboards.

Commenting on the race between the iPhone and Android, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Tuesday that while it's a close battle, other competitors like Microsoft cannot be counted out either. He also noted that while the iPhone and Android are neck-and-neck, Apple has a considerable lead in other markets with its iOS mobile operating system, which is found on both the iPad and the iPod touch.

"iOS, you look at phones, tablets, the iPod touch, we've sold over 350 million iOS devices," Cook said. "Over 62 million of those were done in the last quarter alone."

This confirms visual evidence. I go weeks and only see iPhones in the adult world. Most of the Androids must be in kids bedrooms. I see a few high end Droids etc. now and then but the owners are willing to say that they are horrible and they are just waiting for their contracts to expire and they are definitely going iPhone. I even saw A Blackberry a few weeks back!

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

This confirms visual evidence. I go weeks and only see iPhones in the adult world. Most of the Androids must be in kids bedrooms. I see a few high end Droids etc. now and then but the owners are willing to say that they are horrible and they are just waiting for their contracts to expire and they are definitely going iPhone. I even saw A Blackberry a few weeks back!

Having seen the same in the wild, and assuming Google isn't just outright lying about activation numbers, my only conclusion is that there are a LOT of Android devices gathering dust in drawers somewhere, uncomfortable reminders of buyers' remorse.

Having seen the same in the wild, and assuming Google isn't just outright lying about activation numbers, my only conclusion is that there are a LOT of Android devices gathering dust in drawers somewhere, uncomfortable reminders of buyers' remorse.

I wonder what will happen over the next year to Google, I suspect a slippery slope has steepened. No Android tablet whatsoever making any progress other than low end devices which are not hurting at iPad sales and will wet the owners' appetites to upgrade I'm sure. The truth about the Android phone sales now becoming obvious. Meanwhile every iOS device on the Internet damages Google's web ad sales bottom line as apps neatly bypass them. This year we will see Apple's own mapping system I am certain. None of the aforementioned is good for Google.

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

And the iPhone 4S was such a disappointment because it didn't include all of the above.

Hmmm... and I said that in the 2012 holiday quarter Apple would steal market share from Android because of those added features...

... never would I have guessed that it would happen this holiday quarter with the 4S. Steal from Symbian and Blackberry, yes... but not Android.

So, now I'll predict with absolute confidence that when Apple adds those features Android will lose substantial market share (... and iPhone sales of 40+ million will be common place... and possibly 50+ million).

Having seen the same in the wild, and assuming Google isn't just outright lying about activation numbers, my only conclusion is that there are a LOT of Android devices gathering dust in drawers somewhere, uncomfortable reminders of buyers' remorse.

Just about everyone I know that owns an Android device has nothing but hatred for them. Pick a reason. Horrible build quality, sluggish OS, battery life, breaks after 6 months, the list goes on. They are all waiting to qualify for a phone upgrade so they can move to an iPhone. That's the reality.

And yet the Android shills will inevitably spin this story to make it sound like a non-event. Shame on them in accepting such low standards.

Just about everyone I know that owns an Android device has nothing but hatred for them. Pick a reason. Horrible build quality, sluggish OS, battery life, breaks after 6 months, the list goes on. They are all waiting to qualify for a phone upgrade so they can move to an iPhone. That's the reality.

And yet the Android shills will inevitably spin this story to make it sound like a non-event. Shame on them in accepting such low standards.

I wonder what the repair cost must be like, I assume the crap has warranties! That can't be helping!

From Apple ][ - to new Mac Pro I've owned them all.Long on AAPL so biased"Google doesn't sell you anything, Google just sells you!"

Having seen the same in the wild, and assuming Google isn't just outright lying about activation numbers, my only conclusion is that there are a LOT of Android devices gathering dust in drawers somewhere, uncomfortable reminders of buyers' remorse.

I doubt Google is lying about activation numbers, but I have to wonder how many of those activations (presumed sales) are for actual new users?

Just judging from the attitudes seen across discussion forums on the Internet, it would seem there is a significant number of Android fans willing to buy new Android phones before their contract is up just to have the latest and greatest. Meanwhile, my 3-and-a-half year old iPhone3G is still doing its thing just as well as it has ever done. Still no pressing need to replace it. I suspect Android users are buying new, replacement phones more frequently than iPhone users, thus the outpacing in terms of activations. I don't put a lot of weight in Andy Rubin's tweets. If he wants to start showing us user base figures and growth there, then I'm interested. Activations is a weird metric to brag about and I would not assume high activations means equally high numbers of new users.

"iOS, you look at phones, tablets, the iPod touch, we've sold over 350 million iOS devices," Cook said. "Over 62 million of those were done in the last quarter alone."
...[/URL]

I'm slightly surprised he didn't mention that Apple TV is also an iOS device which also numbers in the millions and with the lower price might eventually have even higher volume. My guess is that Apple is holding off until there is an app store for Apple TV.

Guys, what do you think will happen when iPhone 4 becomes free on contract on all carriers?

I'll be more interested to see how Apple deals with China and Latin America where almost no one has a subsidized phone. Everyone does pay as you go. Every tiny shop sells refill minutes regardless of whether their main business is selling vegetables or straw hats.

I think Apple needs a really inexpensive phone for people who have no credit, no job, no car, no last name etc. I was in the San Blas recently and every adult indigenous indian there has a cell phone now days.

That surprises me. I would expect iOS to still be higher than Android OS, but not iPhone against all Android-based handset sales.

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalclips

This confirms visual evidence. I go weeks and only see iPhones in the adult world. Most of the Androids must be in kids bedrooms. I see a few high end Droids etc. now and then but the owners are willing to say that they are horrible and they are just waiting for their contracts to expire and they are definitely going iPhone. I even saw A Blackberry a few weeks back!

Remember that iPhones have longevity unseen in Android-based handset as noted by iPhone's resale value and aftermarket appeal. This certainly adds to the installed base which is directly reflected by what we see in the wild.

This bot has been removed from circulation due to a malfunctioning morality chip.

It's a losing battle for Apple. The best thing that Apple needs to do is sign licensing agreements with Google. Apple i products should begin transitioning to Android. The overwhelming momentum of Android will solidify its top place in the market. Apple needs to adopt and get on board or get lost the Android tidal wave. There really is no denying the future of iOS.

Wait who's losing???

Quote:

That surge is just a small point and shoot picture of one quarter. It's an insignificant uptick. If you look at the calendar year Android outpaced iOS easily and will continue to do so. Twice as much. Computerworld has an excellent article that clears up this marketing spin for iOS. There is no denying that iOS is spiraling down to irrelevancy as Android continues to grow.

Oh snap, maybe not so much...

Quote:

The cheerleading here doesn't change the fact that this is temporary. A new product will always produce a spike. But if you look closely iOS Smartphone share is losing ground fast. The days of iPhone leading the market as long gone.

A spike - like Mount Everest is a spike, yep.

Quote:

Of course there will be a slight uptick with a new model from Apple. A new iPhone released within that time frame will generate a perceived momentum with market share. Please remember that this uptick is in direct relation to a new product release. Mark my words. As 1st and 2nd quarter approaches, iOS share will quickly return to its proper levels, and will continue to drop year to year.

Huge drop there...

Quote:

It's always denial when it comes to Apple-iOS losing quite a large amount of share in such a short time. I have stated many times that this is inevitable with the success of Android. Yet I'm usually called name and insulted by many users here. Samsung has just proven my point. They will continue to exceed. Along with Amazon and their Kindle devices.

Oh wait, massive share gain...

Quote:

That's a frightening number for Apple management. It's a clear sign that Android has overwhelmed iOS in the market place. This only reinforces my statements that iOS will be marginalized as a small niche player. High profits will not be enought to sustain the product onece Android takes 98% share. I would be shocked if that doesn't happen in 2012. I do feel bad for Apple. They pushed the technology forward as with the Mac, only to lose again just like the Mac.

Yeah - Tim Cook looked terrified didn't he...
***WHEW***

I hate when Slapppy (not to mention ApplevsSamsung) drops the ball like that. Hope that was enough to balance the viewpoints here....

If you are going to insist on being an ass, at least demonstrate the intelligence to be a smart one

lol...you know why they are there...given enough time in long threads you always seem to contradict yourself. You make bold brash statements like the ones in my sig....Google is going crash and burn then later in another thread you said Google was the future it is just amusing to me! Like the one you have in your sig...you are so adamant and so sure it will NOT be iPhone 5! The truth is you don't know..........and time will tell........
Oh and posting your statements in my sig is insulting? How? Are you ashamed of what you said?

Tallest Skil:

"Eventually Google will have their Afghanistan with Oracle and collapse" "The future is Apple, Google, and a third company that hasn't yet been created."

not wanting to debate or beat a dead horse but just wanted his logic......thats all.
Iphone 3g then iPhone 3Gs (not 4) then iPhone 4 then iPhone 4s...next logical would be iPhone 5

I've got no dog in this race... but I'm sure most of us know that there are plenty of people who are more than willing to beat this poor horse some more [one person for sure... and that may be one reason why you bring it up again].

I still think it could be called 5 as much as I think it could be called 6 but I'm betting most heavily on a non numbered designation.

I can hardly wait until the next phone is announced... but then again... we all know it won't stop there...

I've got no dog in this race... but I'm sure most of us know that there are plenty of people who are more than willing to beat this poor horse some more [one person for sure... and that may be one reason why you bring it up again].

I still think it could be called 5 as much as I think it could be called 6 but I'm betting most heavily on a non numbered designation.

I can hardly wait until the next phone is announced... but then again... we all know it won't stop there...

I agree with you.....I don't know what it will be called......will will all have to wait and see!

Tallest Skil:

"Eventually Google will have their Afghanistan with Oracle and collapse" "The future is Apple, Google, and a third company that hasn't yet been created."

Please explain to me how you think those two statements are mutually exclusive. They're not.

You're mocking what I've said based on a fallacy of your own. You don't find that unappealing?

If you like statements that contradict, head on over to this thread and read the stuff by the people that support "iPhone 5" as a name.

I think your statements speak for themselves..."You're mocking what I've said based on a fallacy of your own. You don't find that unappealing?" How is posting statemntts you make on a public forum mocking? You posted them!
You base your statements depending on what thread your in....one thread...Google was going to crash and burn soon.....the next thread....Google was the future along with Apple.....so which is it...crash and burn or the future! Your statements seem to go with the wind....."If you like statements that contradict, head on over to this thread and read the stuff by the people that support "iPhone 5" as a name. "
No thanks i will just read your posts for that..........

Tallest Skil:

"Eventually Google will have their Afghanistan with Oracle and collapse" "The future is Apple, Google, and a third company that hasn't yet been created."

How is posting statemntts you make on a public forum mocking? You posted them!

You're smart enough to see what's wrong with that sentence. Don't patronize me.

Quote:

You base your statements depending on what thread your in....one thread...Google was going to crash and burn soon.....the next thread....Google was the future along with Apple.....so which is it...crash and burn or the future!

You're smart enough to see what's wrong with that sentence. Don't patronize me.

Again I'll ask: explain to me how they are mutually exclusive.

Again, you know exactly what you're saying here.

you are just making yourself look bad....
On one thread that was leaning towards being anti Google and how Oracle was suing them...you posted"Eventually Google will have their Afghanistan with Oracle and collapse"
The in a separte thread that was very pro Google and how much Android was gaining marketshare you posted"The future is Apple, Google, and a third company that hasn't yet been created."
So you first posted how Google was heading into ruin beacuse of the Oracle suit.
Then in a pro Google thread you posted how Google was the futre along with Apple and a third compnay that wasn't even created yet! So for Google to be the future along with a company that wasn't even created...........how was it going to crash and burn? Before a third company was even created for it to be part of the future? Was this third company supposed to take some time for it to be part of the future trifecta or would it just be that way on incorporation? You don't make sense....and the order you posted them is how they appear in my sig.....

Tallest Skil:

"Eventually Google will have their Afghanistan with Oracle and collapse" "The future is Apple, Google, and a third company that hasn't yet been created."

So for Google to be the future along with a company that wasn't even created...........how was it going to crash and burn? Before a third company was even created for it to be part of the future?

I refuse to believe you can't parse out the logic here, but I'll humor you.

The answer to that question is no. You are now left to resolve the only other chronological option on your own.

I'll also tell you to make note of the fact that that thread (as well as the context of my quote) was about Android. You're making the implication (or implying that I believe) that Google is comprised of ONLY Android in your connection to the second quote of mine.

Seriously, it's not difficult at all to actually read this stuff in context and come to the right conclusion.